- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 45 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 280 kcal
Quick summary
“This pull-apart appetizer bread uses refrigerated crescent dough laminated with melted butter, minced garlic, Parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. Cut into stacked strips and baked at 180°C for 30 minutes, it browns into flaky layers that easily pull apart by hand.”
What you need to know
- The melted butter with fresh chopped garlic penetrates between the layers of the dough, creating brittle and aromatic leaves.
- The technique of stacking and accommodating the folded dough strips in the baking sheet creates the pull-apart shape effortlessly.
- The grated Parmesan cheese browns in the oven, forming a crunchy crust with a toasted salty aroma on top of the puff pastry bread.
Ingredients
Main
- tube (340g) Refrigerated crescent puff pastry
- cup (115g) Unsalted butter, melted
- large cloves Garlic, finely chopped
- cup (50g) Queijo Parmesão ralado
- tablespoons Salsinha fresca, picada
- teaspoon Sea salt
- teaspoon Black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
Principal
- Pré-aqueça o forno a 180°C (350°F). Line a medium baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with the minced garlic.
- Carefully open the tube of crescent puff pastry and unroll it onto a clean surface, forming a single rectangle.
- Spread half of the garlic butter over the dough. Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese and half of the parsley. Fold the dough in half lengthwise.
- Cut the folded dough into about 6 to 8 equal strips (2-3 cm wide). Stack the strips one on top of the other, alternating them slightly.
- Transfer the stack of dough carefully to the prepared baking sheet, positioning it as a rectangular "loaf". Brush the remaining garlic butter, sprinkle the remaining Parmesan and parsley, add salt and pepper.
- Take to the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the bread is golden and cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving warm.
Chef's tips
- Keep the puff pastry well chilled until the moment of unrolling to prevent the fat from softening on the counter.
- Finely mince garlic with a sharp knife instead of crushing so the pieces brown nicely without burning on the crust.
- Wait for the bread to warm for 5 minutes after coming out of the oven so the layers firm up without losing the flaky and crispy texture.
Variations
- Add a pinch of dried red pepper flakes to the garlic butter to give a subtle spicy heat to the bread.
- Sprinkle grated mozzarella cheese between the layers to create elastic strands of melted cheese when pulling the pieces with your hands.
- Brush a tablespoon of basil pesto sauce over the dough before folding and cutting for a green Italian version.
Substitutions
- The rising puff pastry can be replaced with traditional puff pastry rolled into thin sheets or homemade pizza dough.
- Grated parmesan cheese can be replaced by pecorino romano cheese, aged gouda cheese, or dry semi-cured canastra cheese.
- The chopped fresh parsley can be replaced by fresh oregano leaves, thyme, or finely chopped rosemary.
How to store
Store in a closed container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 5 minutes to regain the puff pastry.
Can it be frozen?
Freeze the already baked and cold bread wrapped in aluminum foil for up to 2 months. Heat directly in the oven without thawing first.
What to serve with
Serve with a small bowl of tomato marinara sauce for dipping, cold cut and cheese boards, vegetable soups, or craft beer.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bake this bread in a rectangular loaf pan?
Yes, place the stacked strips upright in the greased loaf pan for a classic pull-apart bread with detachable slices.
How to prevent garlic from burning and becoming bitter during oven cooking?
Mix the garlic into the melted butter before applying; the fat protects the garlic particles against the direct heat of the oven.
How to get the puff pastry layers to rise very high?
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C with constant heat and avoid opening the oven door during the first 20 minutes of baking.
What is refrigerated tube crescent dough?
It is a semi-leavened and laminated dough sold ready-to-use in pressurized tubes in the refrigerated section of supermarkets, very malleable.
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